Corn Gluten Meal, An Organic Fertilizer And Crab Grass Killer
Corn Gluten Meal Organic Fertilizer
Corn gluten is used for many lawn and garden applications, but the two most popular are as an organic natural fertilizer and as an organic crab grass control or preventative. If you are thinking of using it on your lawn, read this before you start.
What Is Corn Gluten Meal?
Corn gluten meal is a by-product or leftover from when companies make corn starch and corn syrup. When you get it at the store or local garden and lawn center, you will find it in 40 or 50lb bags in pellet or granular form. Overall, it contains around 10% nitrogen. Nitrogen is pretty much the essential nutrient that turns grass green, and corn gluten meal has a very solid and stable amount naturally, making it a GREAT choice for an organic fertilizer.
Is Corn Gluten Meal A Good Organic Fertilizer?
Yes, it is! Corn gluten contains a very nice amount of nitrogen, and because it is organic, it is naturally slow releasing. This means that it feeds the lawn slowly over time, making a nice impact on plant growth without pushing the turf unhealthily. So many of today’s synthetic fertilizers are full of quick release super hydrated nitrogen that pushes the growth of grass plants, almost like giving them a sugar rush that will end in a crash at some point. Organic fertilizers like corn gluten won’t do this.
How Does Corn Gluten Prevent Crab Grass?
Corn gluten meal, when applied early enough in the season, will build up in the soil line and prevent annual crab grass with some fairly good results. The key is you have to get it down just after the snow goes away. If you wait too long, you will not get very good control. I also recommend you NOT apply corn gluten in heavily shaded areas because:
1) crab grass does not usually grow in shady areas
2) the corn gluten will build up in the soil and actually thin out the grass in shaded areas. This grass is weak already from lack of sunlight.
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Tagged with: corn gluten fertilizer • organic crab grass control • organic fertilizer
Filed under: organic lawn care
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Corn Gluten Meal has worked wonders on my lawn.
Most corn grown in this country is NOT organic and is a GMO crop full of pesticides. How do the authors of this article expect a consumer to find truly organic corn???
It should be explained that corn gluten meal prevents new plants from seed, its only effect on established plants is to fertilize them. It works on everything, not just crabgrass; if your turf is thin and needs to be overseeded, don’t apply corn gluten meal – it will stop the grass seed from growing.
My other comment is not appearing. I ask again — where do I find corn gluten meal that does not have GMOs? GMOs are NOT organic by any stroke of the imagination and 85% of the corn grown in this country has GMOs… If you are not going to post my comment because you want to hide these facts from your readers, at least tell me, so that I will stop trying to post and will unsubscribe to your inaccurate newsletter.
I don’t know where you live, but here in Indiana, lots of our corn is raised for cattle feed and it is very organic. The leftovers are used for gluten fert.
I did not approve your comment because I am a landscaper by trade and this is the spring time and I am working 15 hour days. thanks. Today is Saturday, and I only worked a half day, hence the fact I am in my admin panel approving comments.
You can find certified organic gluten products at your local garden supply or nursery, but prolly not gonna find it at Home Depot
I am so sorry that I jumped to conclusions on the lack of my comment being posted within a couple of days. I am quite distressed over certain other groups which pose as one thing when their interests are really somewhere else. I will check with the local garden supply to find organic gluten. Thank you again…